Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Carina isn’t your stepdaughter. Not at the moment.”
“Ever since that girl came into this family, she’s been like a daughter to me. It doesn’t matter if we’re related by blood or not.” He stabs a finger in my direction. “And you know that.”
“You’re right,” I concede. “I do.” My father is a good man. He’s treated Carina in the same manner that he’s always treated me. There was never any you’re just a stepchild with him.
“Then what the hell are you doing?”
My shoulders collapse under the heaviness of the question and the confusion that mars his expression.
“I care about her,” I blurt. “I’ve always cared. I want to be with her.”
He pushes away from the desk and sits back against the leather chair as he silently studies me like I’m a bug smeared across his windshield.
Just as I begin to squirm beneath the relentless stare, he says, “You know what I think?” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond. “That you want Carina simply because she’s off-limits. If I were to give you my blessing, you’d lose interest in the blink of an eye, and it would be over with. And you’d fuck up this family as a result.”
His accusation catches me off guard.
Is that seriously what my father thinks?
Of me?
That I’m an immature asshole who only wants what I can’t have?
“That’s not true,” I growl.
“How do you know? When have you ever been involved in a relationship that lasted more than a few nights spent between the sheets?”
Heat slams into my face. “Did you ever think that I haven’t bothered getting involved with another girl because I couldn’t have the one I actually wanted? The one I’ve always had feelings for.”
His expression remains inscrutable. If I thought baring a little bit of my soul would soften his stance, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“End it now, Ford. Before it destroys this family.”
Is he fucking nuts?
“I did that before, and it was the worst mistake I’ve ever made. I won’t do it again.”
He slams his fist on the desk as his voice escalates, echoing off the walls. “Stop being so damn selfish. Think about someone other than yourself for a change.”
I rise to my feet. “This conversation is over.”
As I glare, I realize that my hands are shaking.
Have I ever been this angry?
With my father?
No.
On both accounts.
As I stalk toward the office door, he says, “You realize my political opponents will have a field day with this, right? My son dating his stepsister?”
My feet ground to a halt as I grapple with a response. But there’s nothing.
Nothing I can say.
Shoulders hunched, I slip from the room, only wanting to get the hell out of this house.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Carina
With one last reluctant look over his shoulder, Ford follows his father, leaving me alone with Pamela. A handful of seconds later, the office door closes, shuttering both Hamilton men inside the room.
I glance longingly toward the front entrance of the house. I’d give just about anything to slip through the front door rather than sit here with my mother.
There’s a moment of silence before she says, “Oh my, Carina. He really has it bad for you. Well done.” Her throaty laughter leaves me wincing. “And here you were at lunch, trying to act like you’re so superior.”
My head whips toward her, unable to believe she actually thinks that I could ever be as calculating as she is. That I would use someone for money and security.
“It’s not like that,” I say stiffly.
She tilts her head as her gaze bores into mine. “That’s not judgment. I told you the other day that you should be working this situation to your advantage. I’m glad you’ve finally taken my advice.” She glances toward the office. “It was always obvious that Ford had feelings for you. You were smart to hold him off and make him work for it. He’s had time to sleep around and get it out of his system. Now, he’s ready to settle down.”
My chest constricts until sucking in breath becomes painful. “No.”
A slow smile spreads across her face. “You and I are more similar than you’d like to admit.”
“Please stop,” I whisper. Hearing her say that makes me sick to my stomach.
I’m nothing like Pamela.
Nothing.
Needing a moment to think, I gravitate to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the rolling hills of the back lawn. The skies have darkened even more as the rain picks up, plinking against the glass.
“Make sure you hold onto him, Carina. And all this will be yours one day. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Her words are like the blunt edge of a knife hacking its way through my heart. She’s never said that about any of my dance or academic achievements, but she’s practically dabbing her eyes and gloating that I’ve managed to sink my claws into Crawford Hamilton the second.